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Game Style in Soccer What Is It and Can We Quantify It
Game Style in Soccer What Is It and Can We Quantify It
To cite this article: Adam Hewitt, Grace Greenham & Kevin Norton (2016) Game style in soccer:
what is it and can we quantify it?, International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 16:1,
355-372, DOI: 10.1080/24748668.2016.11868892
Abstract
1. Introduction
There is a consistency in the world of football commentary and coaching that refers to
how a game ‘unfolds’ or what play patterns are typically seen in competition. This
language is universal, pervades virtually all field sports and has changed relatively little
over time as evidenced from historical game footage. Moreover, commentators assume
others know precisely what they are talking about when regularly referring to a ‘game
style’ or ‘play style’. For example, among the many hundreds possible, these types of
general media and coaching statements are frequently encountered:
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“As soon as I was appointed manager in 2011 the big debate was whether I would
follow the ‘West Ham way’ which nobody could define, but, whatever it was, I
apparently didn’t play it. The fans were being brainwashed into thinking that,
historically, the club had a particular style of play which was akin the Barcelona
which was potty.” (“Sam Allardyce launches outspoken attack…”, 2015)
New Argentina coach Gerardo Martino says he will not make any drastic changes
to the style of play that took it to the World Cup final. ("Martino says Argentina
won't change.", 2014)
‘‘We’re going to go there attacking and we’re not going to sit off. We’ll play our
style and see if it comes off.” ("Western Sydney accuse Al-Hilal coach…", 2014)
Teams are often referred to by their game style as much as their results. A team, club or
managers culture may dictate game styles with colloquiums such as ‘Total Football’ or
‘Tika-taka’ referred to in describing a game or play style. But, what do we understand
of these game style references, what do they mean and are we interpreting ‘game style’
in a consistent way? More importantly for sports science, how can this area of sports
performance become more robust, quantifiable and less colloquial, and what metrics
contribute to ‘game plans’ or ‘playing styles’?
Identifying the position of teammates, and opposition, at each instant in time with
modern tracking technologies allows further contextual information and introduces
elements of strategies and tactics of playing styles. These characteristic styles, often
planned and rehearsed in advance by teams, can now be analysed in depth with the aim
of informing the coaching review process and enhancing performance (Frencken et al.,
2011; Moura et al., 2013). There has traditionally been a focus on physical demands
such as player distances covered and velocities to enhance the specificity of training.
However, new contextual information can be provided including relative distances
among team-mates and opposition players, player congestion maps, probability of
scoring success at different locations from goal and other details relating to interactions
among the team or sub-groups of players(Alcock, 2010; Frencken et al., 2012; Moura et
al., 2013). All of these elements of play are likely to impact on our perceptions of a
game style and, since they can be quantified, they can be integrated within our model of
characterizing a game style.
The goal is not simply to look at success of playing styles in team sports but to suggest
a framework of meaningful metrics that coaches, analysts, sport scientists and other
practitioners can use to assess strategies and tactics and to characterise game styles.
Without consistent and well-defined metrics, it is problematic to assess the effectiveness
of team game styles or to know if and how a game style has changed over time or with
new players or coaches. This paper presents concepts of what variables might be
included when determining a game style in soccer and proposes a definition of game
style.
The simplest consideration in the effective analysis of tactics and strategy in soccer is
ball possession (Wade, 1996). Defensively when a team loses possession of the ball,
players must think defensively. The defending team’s aim is to regain possession of the
ball, restrict the attacking team’s time on the ball and prevent goal scoring opportunities
(Wade, 1996). Similarly, when a team is in possession, each player of the team is in
attack, with the aim of maintaining possession and progressing the ball to a goal scoring
opportunity (Wade, 1996). Some of the key principles of play within specific phases of
the game are listed below.
The support provided to the player with possession in terms of offering a range of
passing options (Costa et al., 2009). Presenting as a passing option is done in
conjunction with leading away from or towards the ball carrier depending on the
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location on the field of the ball and the defensive position of the opposition (Clemente
et al., 2014). By supporting players with a range of passing options this allows for quick
ball movement and the ability to evade defensive pressure by being able to pass the ball
off and hence avoid losing possession of the ball (Piltz & Launder, 2013). Repeated
success doesn’t happen by chance but involves high work rates by teammates,
anticipation of movement, and a high level of team coordination.
Players must utilise the offensive space with width and depth by increasing the surface
area over which the team is spread (Costa et al., 2009; Wade, 1996; Piltz & Launder,
2013). This will allow players to drag defenders to less critical areas and make space for
teammates to move in to as space is created within critical zones with a lower player
density (Clemente et al., 2014).
Increasing the player density (or concentrating the defensive area) by having additional
players in strategic defensive positions increases the effectiveness of defensive
structures (Costa et al., 2009; Piltz & Launder, 2013). This limits offensive passing
options as it takes away space available for players to move into and forces the
opposition to play in less critical areas, along with increasing the chance of regaining
ball possession (Bangsbo & Peitersen, 2002; Clemente et al., 2014).
Olsen et al. (1994) outline that movement is regarded as a requirement for good
offensive play, while balance is a necessity for good defensive play. Good movement
includes qualities of movement such as ‘when’ and ‘how’ to move in addition to
‘where’ to move presented in connection with the principles of offensive depth and
width. The ‘where’ and ‘when’ components of movement are the aspects most focused
upon in the direct play style of attack, while possession play put more emphasis on
‘how’ the movement is executed. This is due to the fact that speed and strength
elements (direct play) demands timing of forward movements, while technique and
refinement (possession play) require a constant need to create space. Conversely, good
balance is achieved when the defensive tasks are well executed. This requires a
sufficient number of defending players on the right side of the ball, i.e. numerical
balance. Often this means the same number of defending as attacking players in a given
situation. However, numerical balance alone is not enough if defending players are not
positioned correctly. Therefore, numerical balance must coincide with positional
balance. A players positioning for good balance may differ according to the style of
defense employed, for example, player-to-player orientated versus zone-oriented.
The visual aspect of this competition, for example, movement of players and the ball,
frequency of periods of attacking asymmetry, speed of counter-attacks, the way teams
try to keep possession of the ball while moving strategically towards goal-scoring areas
and numerous other ingredients of field-based sports are, collectively, what we refer to
as a game style. The problem is we may not all see the same elements of play, or in the
same way, when we build a version of game style. Even coaches may not accurately
recall aspects of their own game (Laird & Waters, 2008). How can performance
analysis add to our broad understanding of the general principles of field-based sports to
help characterise game style?
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Figure 1. Five moments of play
These moments are considered as discrete periods but are clearly able to influence other
moments or elements of play (Delgado-Bordonau & Mendez-Villanueva, 2012). This is
supported by dynamic systems theory where the actions of individuals and sub-groups
can influence other component’s actions and decisions (Grehaigne et al., 1997; Vilar et
al., 2012). For example, attacking patterns may influence defensive tactics simply
because of where players are located on the field relative to opposition players during a
transition. However, for simplicity in this introduction of game style, the moments of
play will generally be considered separately as one of three phases: Established Offense
and Defense, Transitional Play and Set Pieces.
Breaking the game into moments of play and reviewing ways to measure patterns within
these moments can help to characterise styles of play in field sport. Game style will be
the playing outcome, that is, what we observe when formed by the interaction of
numerous play patterns occurring within these moments. The frequency of their
occurrence, impact on both the moment and game outcomes, level of excitement
elicited, repeatability from game to game, predictability of play patterns and tactics
within moments are all examples of how a game style will be ‘created’ for the observer.
There are obviously many other elements within a game that can have an influence on
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our interpretation of a game style. Moreover, the importance placed on any one element
may also change over time, most likely heavily influenced by the degree of success
associated with particular patterns of play. Nonetheless, the combination of objective
measures of play patterns within these moments is the first challenge towards
characterising a team’s play style.
Table 1 lists a number of metrics that may contribute to a game style. It is unlikely that
all of these metrics will be measured in a game but they are listed to represent variables
that may be quantified and used to categorise a game style. They have been selected
based on either an association with scoring, movement success, because they reflect
general principles of play in invasion-based sports, or where characteristic and
repeatable playing styles may be demonstrated. The list is not exhaustive and there will
undoubtedly be many more variables added if and when measurement is possible.
362
Table 1. Example of metrics from current literature that may contribute to game style.
3.1.1. Possession
One of the most popular technical indicators of game style is the degree of ball
possession. Some studies indicate a positive correlation between retaining possession
and success (Chassy, 2013). However, this relationship is complex with passing
efficiency, quality of opposition and match location just some of the factors that may
impact ball possession, team dominance and successful performances (Lago-Ballesteros
et al., 2012; Collet, 2013).
Teams with high possession rates may have a different game style to teams with
consistently lower rates of possession, particularly given the strategies that support high
possession. For example, a ‘maintain possession’ strategy may involve more slow play
with defensive movements, less risk when passing, and greater emphasis on re-gaining
possession relative to teams who might place less importance on this strategy
(Grehaigne et al., 2002; Jones et al., 2004; Wright et al., 2011). Some teams may
exhibit differing patterns of ball possession in different parts of the field and this can
363
also be influenced by the score line (Ridgewell, 2011). Lower possession rates in
attacking zones by the leading team relative to the opposition signifies less urgency for
offensive ball movement and a more conservative play style. For example, a study of
corner kicks from the 2006 World Cup showed winning teams used more short corners
and directed the kick away from the centre of the goal area to strategically prevent
counter-attack opportunities and maintain possession (De Baranda & Lopez-Riquelme,
2012).
3.1.2. Passing
An underlying principle of self-organising systems dictates the structure of the group is
founded on rapid, local interactions (Chassy, 2013). During Established Offense the
ability of the team to move as a group is critically dependent on the passing abilities of
the individuals. Possession of the ball almost always involves the ball being passed
from one player to the next until it ends with a player best positioned to attempt a goal
action. Although this appears a simplistic concept it ultimately involves a complex level
of interaction among individuals. This is influenced by the ability to pass the ball
accurately and with speed, and positioning of teammates who must anticipate
movement patterns and the opposition’s defensive structures. Early research conducted
by Reep and Benjamin (1968) investigated how goals were scored in soccer. Over 3000
games were analysed between 1953 and 1968 with data collected examining the goals
scored and the length of the passing sequences (Reep & Benjamin, 1968). The main
findings from this work indicated that approximately 80% of goals were a result of three
passes or less and that a goal was scored from an average of about 10 attempts. Later
research of the 1990 FIFA World Cup indicated that successful teams with passing
sequences of greater than five passes produced more goals per possession than
sequences of shorter passing sequences (Hughes & Franks, 2005).
Chassy (2013) suggests two metrics that may influence a team’s performance related to
Established Offense. The first relates to the ability of a team to keep the ball while
changing the spatial configuration to continue to look for weaknesses in the
opposition’s Established Defense. Players must be able to pass with precision while
others create space around themselves to receive the pass from their teammate.
Constantly changing the spatial configuration may limit the defense’s ability to regain
possession and this relies on the concentration and decision-making capacity of the
players, and their fitness levels to carry out this strategy. A related factor is the ability of
the team to not only pass accurately but frequently. Two principle and quantifiable
features identified in relation to passing patterns were Pass density (number of passes
per minute of possession), and Pass precision (number of completed passes relative to
total passes)(Chassy, 2013).
There is little doubt pass accuracy is important in football success. For example, pass
accuracy assists in retaining possession and progressing forward, leads to scoring
opportunities, restricts opposition possession and scoring opportunities, and is
significantly higher in the period before scoring (Redwood-Brown, 2008).
Adopting this game style demands high fitness, facilitating fast movement periods,
accelerated recovery and repeat efforts. Advancements and availability of player
tracking technologies allow physical performance variables, such as player distances
and velocities to be routinely analysed (Carling et al., 2008; Castellano et al., 2012;
Cummins et al., 2013). They also provide information on the position of players at any
instant in time aiding analysis of strategies, tactics and patterns of play (Frencken &
Lemmink, 2008; Frencken et al., 2011; Frencken et al., 2012). Frencken and Lemmink
(2008) proposed two variables that characterise the flow between the attacking and
defending teams in small-sided soccer games: (1) the Centroid position, and (2) the
Surface area of each team. The Centroid is described as the average position of the on-
field players of a team and the Surface area is the space covered by those players.
Wade (1996) characterises attacking teams moving towards goals to incite penetration,
often with width and depth. As this takes place their Centroid moves forward and can be
tracked for both position and rate of change in position. Conversely, the defending team
aims to delay the opposition while concentrating its own players close to the defensive
goal and its Centroid position will move backwards (Frencken et al., 2011). As the
attacking phase takes place the Surface area will often increase as the offensive team
looks to create more space while the defending team’s Surface area will generally
decrease (Moura et al., 2013).
Losing a neutral ball or following a turnover there are various strategies than a team can
take to defend. Vogelbein et al. (2014) analysed games in the German Bundesliga to
demonstrate top teams recovered the ball quickest after losing it in comparison to lower
ranked teams. They also found the current score influenced the defensive reaction time.
Other research has shown an advantage in recovering ball possession as close to goal as
possible to increase goal scoring opportunities (Garganta et al., 1997; Larson, 2001).
Ball recoveries closer to the attacking goal produced seven times more goals compared
to ball recoveries in the defensive zones, although less than 2% of ball recoveries are
achieved in attacking zones (Vogelbein et al., 2014). This aggressive form of defense is
often promoted by coaches and, if successful, may become a characteristic of the team’s
game style.
3.3. Set-pieces
Previous research has identified that approximately one third of goals at the elite level
are scored either directly or indirectly from set plays (Grant et al., 1998; Grant &
Williams, 1998; Ensum et al., 2000; Yiannakos & Aramats, 2004; Wright et al., 2011).
Recent evolution shows an increase in set play efficiency (defined as more goals scored
from fewer set plays) in men’s domestic and international soccer, and successful teams
are more efficient at scoring from set plays (Grant & Williams, 1998; Alcock, 2010).
Analysis of play patterns in World Cup soccer final games from 1966 through to 2010
showed that the time taken for a free kick increased from 13 s in 1966 to 20 s in 2010
(Wallace & Norton, 2014). Even more significant, free kicks resulting in a direct shot
on goal increased from 38 s in 1966 to 63 s in 2010 (Wallace & Norton, 2014). This
further emphasises the preparation and planning of set plays from both offensive and
defensive positions are important, as well as having set play specialists.
In many field sports probability maps for goal scoring success versus distance and angle
combinations are generated and determine the selection of play patterns (Pollard et al.,
2004; Alcock, 2010; Tenga et al., 2010). For example, free kicks are the most effective
set piece, especially from angles square to the goal face in all field sports (Carling et al.,
2005), and when closer to goal.
A study of all 64 games of the 2006 FIFA World Cup demonstrated an average of 10.2
corner kicks per game (Baranda & Lopez-Riquleme, 2012) which is similar to the 2000
UEFA European Championships with an average of 10.9 corner kicks per game and the
findings of Wallace and Norton (2014) in an analysis of set pieces for all FIFA World
Cup final games from 1966 to 2010 with an average of 10.2 corner kicks per game. To
maximise a team’s chances of scoring, Hill and Hughes (2001) suggest corner kicks
should be played with curl, above head height and an attempt on goal should be made as
soon as possible.
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4. Conclusions and Applications
There are numerous examples of coaches, media, spectators and sport scientists alike
classifying games as exhibiting specific patterns or visual characteristics that may allow
the categorisation of game styles. The irony is in the inconsistencies of what people use
to frame their understanding of game style. In this article we have attempted to provide
an example framework of meaningful metrics within specific moments of the game that
will allow game styles to be objectively assessed.
The identification and understanding of the playing style or patterns of play of teams
may have other practical implications, for example, when recruiting players who are
capable of playing according to the style of the team (Gyarmati et al., 2014).
Furthermore, quantification of game styles will allow more detailed analysis into the
types of training methodologies, and evaluation of training compared to strategies and
tactics in the competition environment.
Following the proposed framework to describe and measure game style there remains
considerable research to be done. Some initial questions that might be addressed
include what different playing styles can be identified and how are they
distinguished within the five moments of play? Once these have been examined in
greater detail, further research regarding the interaction of these moments of play is
needed. Furthermore, upon establishing a game style for a team, the impact of changing
strategy and tactics can be examined. For example, what is the best offensive strategy to
combat a particular defensive strategy and vice versa.
Finally, we propose the following definition: "Game style is the characteristic playing
pattern demonstrated by a team during games. It will be regularly repeated in specific
situational contexts such that measurement of variables reflecting game style will be
relatively stable. Variables of importance are player and ball movements, interaction of
players, and will generally involve elements of speed, time and space (location)".
This definition and the proposed model of measuring elements of play patterns will
allow coaches, sports scientists, media and spectators a clearer understanding what is
meant by, and an objective method for comparing, game style.
5. Acknowledgements
The authors have no potential conflict of interest and no funding was obtained for the
preparation of this article.
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